A Black Star
by Chelong
Summary: Gambit finds a jewel hidden in the grounds around the school. It sets off a chain of events that will ultimately change Gambit for the good.


Remy strolled across the overly green acres of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Children, his long coat hung down heavily on his shoulders despite, or maybe because of, the heat. It was very important to the Cajun that, even in the midst of a heat wave, he never appeared to sweat; and that the others, even the students, recognize the fact. Every now and again, his head would turn from side to side in disgust.

Green. Green was everywhere.

The spring flowers had long ago sizzled out from unyielding heat and sun. The summer flowers were hiding beneath the soil, not dumb enough to face the sun yet. Storm had been crushed and, though she would never alter the natural temperature, she had been throwing around a good many rainstorms. Each strong enough to water the Sahara. But the flowers would not be tempted. The grass, however, had been more than appreciative and grew inches in hours, and feet in days.

Remy shifted his foot around, watching his metal boot rise and disappear in the thick grass. The three thieves, or stooges, depending on how you saw them, had been caught trying to steal some snacks from the pantry. A dumb thing, really, because all they had to do was ask for it, which left the rest of the X-men mystified. They had sent the three to Gambit for his anti-thievery speech that he conducted while picking the lock to the cooler Logan kept his beer in.

The result of the whole incident was that the three thieves were forced into manual labor of landscaping and Gambit gained a six pack; but then, later that week, lost a pint of whiskey he had stashed in the library. Gambit moved his hands over the tips of grass without bending down; he could have sworn he saw the three thieves mow this area just two days ago. In fact yesterday they had come in stinking to high hell with their cloths and skin dying green from mowing all day long. This was just unnatural. If they were going to win this foliage war, they needed reinforcements.

Remy grinned at the thought, was he really that hard up for some action that he had to imagine a grass revolt? He shook his head at the image. Boredom was no reason for ridiculous daydreams, or at least elongated ridiculous daydreams. Hell, he'd be half way to New Orleans on a motorcycle 'borrowed' from Scott right now if it hadn't been for some stupid promise. Now, he had to stay here until the current mission was complete. The mission everyone else was on besides him and the Big Blue Fur-ball, who had, once again, turned down Remy's offer for drinks and cards last night. Making it the second night Remy had been left alone, bored, and stir crazy. Hell he hadn't even been able to go to sleep last night; he had just spent hours wandering the grounds.

He paused at the thought and glanced at his watch, it was three in the afternoon. Perhaps it was time to try and rest again, and with that idea Remy flung himself onto a particularly soft patch of wild turf and made a noise of desperation and boredom. 'Life wasn't supposed to be like this.' he mused, 'Life was Glam, Gambling, ruckus and risk, throw in a good fight or two and life was divine.' But this- this was heat and green and stillness; it was for the fallen six feet under. How had he let Rouge convince him to condemn himself to such imprisonment?

He had been all set to stow away on the mission, there was some jazz about right discrimination against mutants and the need for forces to peacefully something or other. Remy had stopped listen the second he had found out the location. The whole team would be set up in the same building that housed the 'Red Flower,' a jewel with a history, a reputation, a curse, and a security system that made the Cajun's mouth water. All he had to do was sneak into the Blackbird, steal the jewel, and sneak back on. The entry and exit was the hardest thing about the heist, and the X-men were given total clearance to the building. From there, all he had to do was trick an advanced heat and motion censored alarm system, three guards, two dogs, one man known as the Guardian who was raised to protect the flower, and a lock system that changed its 29 digit combination every three seconds. It would have been a blast, and absolutely irresistible.

All the others knew he would try and go for it, which was why he was not includedon the mission. It was also why Beast, Scott, Jean and the Professor had taken him aside for a talk about the responsibility that came with being an X-man. When none of that seemed to sway the Cajun, Logan had stepped in with a few words about why the Cajun might not want to do anything stupid. But the gleam in his eye revealed all so, finally, Rouge sat down with him mere hours before the team departed.

At first she listed the same reasons as everyone else and, when it became obvious it was as penetrating as water on a tin roof, she switched strategies and used her secret weapon. One she probably didn't even know she had. She asked him.

"Please, Remy," she said, "Please promise me you'll stay put."

Gambit remembered how her eyes had shown then, like richly cut emeralds, a shade of green so dark and beautiful that it transcended the definition of any hue. The once insufferably green grass that now entangled Gambit's body had waned in comparison, and perhaps that was why he hated it so. Looking into her eyes, he had melted. He'd run for her, plead for her, kill for her, why shouldn't he die of boredom for her as well?

"I promise Chere."

"No Games Cajun." Her voice had been strong and commanding, a timber that lifted his whole body off the ground.

"Not wit' you Chere, never wit' y' ."

So he was stuck here in the heat, the green and the moist air that smelled like a mildewed pillow. The world just wasn't fair, he decided as he flopped onto his side. And that was when he saw it- a small marking in the center of wild grass. A little mound with a pyramid resting on top made of small pebbles. Leaning towards it Gambit began to part the already disturbed earth with his hands. No more that three inches deep he unearthed a small pendant. No bigger that an inch. At the center was an opal stone carved in the shape of a star, the surrounding gold was jagged and irregular. Remy shifted it through his fingers and held it up to the sun, and was surprised when it did not gleam but instead seemed to swallow the sunlight whole. Gambit held it to the sky and offered thanks; truly this was manna from heaven.


End file.
